Sen, Murray, Rep. Tierney pitch job training bill

SEATTLE 
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray wants to put $912 million into a new national center that would invite states to compete for money for innovative job training programs.

Murray, a Democrat who represents Washington, said Wednesday that she hopes the bill will encourage employers, schools and work force training experts to get together with state officials to create programs to train high school and college students for jobs that pay enough to support families.

She is being joined in the move by U.S. Rep. John Tierney, a Democrat who represents Massachusetts.

Murray says she got the idea for the bill while traveling around the state of Washington talking to employers who say they can't find enough skilled workers to fill their needs.